Benin City, Nigeria – In a bold step toward promoting inclusive governance and equal opportunities, the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) has empowered 35 young advocates as “Disability Inclusion Champions” to lead the charge for accessible education, inclusive healthcare, and enforcement of disability rights in Edo State.
The two-day intensive capacity-building workshop, supported by the Ford Foundation, ended on Friday in Benin City. It brought together an inspiring mix of youth advocates, members of civil society organisations, the media, and Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) drawn from across the state.
The training was designed to strengthen the skills of participants in engaging policymakers, pushing for reforms, and ensuring that both disability and gender inclusion are mainstreamed across all levels of governance.
Speaking during the closing session, Winnie Ishaku, Programme Officer of JONAPWD, explained that the training was not just about building knowledge but about sparking a movement of action-driven advocates.
“When you are designing your programme, you must look at everything — accessibility, affordability, acceptability, and quality. These four pillars are critical if we must achieve inclusive development,” she said.
Ishaku stressed that one of the core targets of the initiative is to promote a transition from the outdated system of special schools to the globally accepted model of inclusive education, where children with and without disabilities learn side by side in the same classrooms.
She also revealed that the project will pioneer a model of a fully accessible primary healthcare centre in Edo State, fitted with ramps, sign language interpreters, and assistive devices.
“This is to demonstrate that universal design is possible. We want the government to see this model, replicate it, and scale it up across all local governments,” she added.
Advocacy for Change in Edo
Ann Ojugo, Chairperson of JONAPWD in Edo State, described the training as a game-changer for disability rights advocacy.
“Our governor has already established the Disability Commission, and with this training, we now have the tools to engage the commission, ministries, and local governments. Exclusion must become a thing of the past in Edo State,” Ojugo affirmed.
She noted that the empowerment of Disability Inclusion Champions will create a ripple effect, ensuring that persons with disabilities are no longer sidelined in the planning and execution of government programmes.
Reviewing Disability Law Implementation
For many participants, the workshop was not only an eye-opener but also a platform to assess progress made under the Edo State Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities Prohibition Law, 2022.
One of the participants, Ibrahim Momoh, shared his excitement about the practical advocacy skills acquired during the training.
“We’ve learnt how to advocate effectively, the proper use of language, and the concept of progressive realisation. Our next step is to take this knowledge back to our communities, schools, mosques, and churches so that more people are aware of disability rights,” Momoh explained.
He added that sustained advocacy by JONAPWD had already yielded fruit, leading to the establishment of the state’s Disability Commission earlier this year.
A Broader Movement
The Ford Foundation-supported programme is part of a larger initiative currently being rolled out in Edo, Osun, and Sokoto States. The goal is to build a strong network of champions who will act as the voice of the disability community, pushing for policies and programmes that reflect inclusivity, accessibility, and respect for human rights.
Advocates believe that the emergence of these champions in Edo State will further energize the disability movement and ensure that commitments by government and institutions are transformed into concrete actions.
With this initiative, JONAPWD and its partners are not just training individuals — they are raising a new generation of advocates determined to break barriers, dismantle stereotypes, and build a society where disability is never a reason for exclusion.
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